


The Ship that will Never Sink

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Anne and Richard: Inspired by Fairy Tales [22]
Category: The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-01-26
Packaged: 2018-05-16 07:56:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5820427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady Anne Neville thought that she would never see her true love ever again. But her true love, Richard of Gloucester, will prove her wrong.</p><p>Their love - their ship - will never sink, not by exile, war, or storm.</p><p>Inspired by fairy tale "Nixie of the Mill Pond", a gif on Tumblr (Richard Plantagenet & Anne Neville | Still Sailing), and a prompt from LadySybil.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ship that will Never Sink

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ladysybil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysybil/gifts).



The wheel was spinning.

Anne stared blankly at the spinning wheel. It was tedious work; and a boring one as well. But at least, it was something to do.

Never had she ever felt alone as thus. Her family had abandoned her; literally, it was everyone in her family.

She understood that her father had to help her father-in-law King Henry to regain his throne; she could understand that her sister Isabel had to go with her husband George of Clarence. Somewhere in her heart, Anne knew that George will rejoin his York brothers and her father will lose.

Her worst fear was confirmed when she found out her mother had fled to seek sanctuary on her own.

Nothing more need to be said.

To avoid the cold treatment from Margaret of Anjou and Edward of Lancaster, Anne buried herself in spinning and needle work. From time to time, she thought about Richard of Gloucester.

Her former betrothed.

She remembered how she bid him farewell after it was clear that the King and her father Warwick had fallen out. She grabbed his gloves and refused to give them back to him, almost as a last gesture to get him stay by her side. But it was fruitless.

She thought about the Fortune's Wheel.

What would her future be? Would she and Richard ever be reunited again?

***

At night, Anne went to the chapel to pray. She had many things to pray for.

With her eyes closed, Anne silently prayed for herself.

And for Richard of Gloucester.

She finished her prayer and got back on to her feet.

Suddenly, she stopped.

Something was placed next to her while she was praying.

It was a golden comb.

Anne recognized this golden comb - she had given this to Richard after she was told that they were to be married.

Could it be...?

_No, impossible._

_Richard should be in England, fighting for the Yorks; he could not be in France._

Silently, Anne picked up the comb and went back to her chamber.

***

On the next day, with the Queen's permission, Anne went outside for a walk. With the queen's ladies not too far behind her, she stopped by a pond. Bending down, she played with the water and studied her reflection.

Then she heard something.

Someone was playing lute.

The Queen's ladies heard it as well, wondering what kind of tune it is.

Anne knew the tune.

It was from the North.

_Richard..._

***

Anne went to bed with a heavy heart.

Could Richard really be here?

She took out the golden comb and gently hummed that tune from the North. She closed her eyes and went to sleep. In her dream, she saw herself back in Middleham again; and it was her wedding. The groom lifted her veil. Before she could see his face, she was awake.

***

The next night, Anne sneaked out of the castle. She was fully convinced that Richard must be nearby. If he was here, then she must see him.

She sauntered and waited.

Two men came behind her. They grabbed her; gagged her; and took her away. Anne kicked and fought her kidnappers, but her strength was no match to theirs.

***

Anne found herself on a ship. She was in a cabin, sitting on a bed with her hands bounded.

Her kidnappers revealed themselves - it was Francis Lovell and Rob Percy!

"She loves me, my lord Richard," Francis explained to a young man with dark curls and a strong presence. "She hides it very well."

"Thank you Francis," the young man, Richard of Gloucester said. "You have done well."

Anne looked at Richard with mixed feelings.

Rob and Francis both said something to Richard; and both winked at Anne, who looked away.

After they were alone, Richard went to untie her. Once her hands were free, Anne instantly slapped him across the face. Rubbing his cheek, Richard dismissed it as if it was nothing.

"You like eat?" He asked.

Anne bit her lips and refused to say a word.

The ship was sailing and rocked against the waves. She didn't know where he was taking her though she assumed he was taking her back to England.  

"We are going to sail for a few days," he told her.

"I know," she said. "When we were forced to exile, we sailed to France. There was a storm, much scarier and worse than it is now."

Richard closed the door behind him.

"I want you to leave," Anne insisted. "I want to be left alone."

Richard didn't comply; instead he sat right next to her.

"You have no right to sit with the Princess of Wales," Anne said coldly.

"But you are not," Richard pointed out. "From what I know, your marriage to Lancaster is unconsummated and thus the marriage is invalid."

"You are crossing the line," Anne hissed and rose from the bed. "Get out of my sight!"

"How much do you want me leave, _really_?" He went behind her.

She turned to face him. "Very," she whispered harshly in his ear. "I want you to leave, _very much_."

Before she knew it, his lips were on hers.

His kiss was like a powerful force that completely consumed her. Initially Anne tried to push him away, but soon she was mellowed in his strong arms. She moaned when his kissed her neck. Her trembling hands went to the buttons of his doublet.

"Do you want me?"

She gave him a nod and took his dark blue doublet off him.

He pushed her against the wall and unlaced her gown. Leaving her in her white shift, he removed his shirt and kissed her hungrily.

And thus it was on this ship in the midst of dark waves Anne lost her virginity.

***

Buried her face into his neck, Anne wrapped her arms around him tightly as if he could disappear in any second. She was angry that he had her kidnapped even though she was more than happy to be away from Edward of Lancaster and his hateful mother. She had missed him so much. The exile and her betrothal to Lancaster made her realize her love for him even more.

"Anne," he whispered her name as he began to pull up her shift.

She said nothing and still holding him with a death grip. Tears silently fell from her eyes.

He caressed her body as he pulled up her shift inch by inch. Finally, she released her arms around him so he can take it off her. He rolled her onto the back and cupped her breast.

"Your scars," Anne murmured, noticing the scars on his chest.

"My battle records," he replied as he rubbed her nipple.  

She caressed each one of his scars with her fingertips.  

"Richard," she whispered, curving her back as he leaned down to suckle her breasts."Richard...I want to marry you..."

"We will."

"No, I want to marry you now, on this ship," Anne said softly with determination while playing with his curls. "You are mine as I am yours."

***

"Where is she?" Margaret of Anjou demanded in anger.

Her ladies looked at each other and no one could give her an answer.

A messenger came; with fear, he informed the Queen of his findings.

The Queen's face paled.

Later, she found her son Edward of Lancaster standing on the castle and stared into the dark ocean.

"They will not get very far," he said coldly. "There will be a storm. May the Neville whore and Gloucester sink into the bottom of the sea."

***

On the ship, with Rob and Francis stood as witnesses, Anne and Richard were married by the captain of the ship. It was a simple ceremony followed by a small celebration.

Anne's fingers interlaced with Richard's.

Everyone was drinking and laughing until they were interrupted by a loud thunder. The ship began to rock hard against the wave; so hard that Anne lost her balance and fell.

"Anne, stay here!" Richard ordered as he and his men went with the captain.

By the sound of the wind's hollow and the thunder, Anne knew it was a storm.

"Richard!" She tried to go after him.

"No, stay here!"

The rain and the current mercilessly tormented everyone on the ship. Anne tried to climb onto the deck to be with Richard but the heavy rain drenched all over her and her vision blurred. She fell, cried, and screamed.

On the deck, Richard held on to the ship's wheel in the midst of the storm.

"Anne! We will make it!" He shouted. "Neither wars, nor exile, nor a storm on the sea can sink our ship!"

"Richard!" Anne cried out his name.

With all her courage and strength, she climbed up to the deck. Against the hollowing wind, she tried to go to him.

But she couldn't.

Instead, she held tight onto the ropes and watched as Richard steered the ship.

_Richard, her husband._

_Richard, her savior._

_No, their ship will not sink._

_For their love is stronger than any forces - war, exile, magic, or storm._

_They will survive._

_They will make it._

***

The storm had passed.

Their ship safely arrived England.

Shivering, Anne climbed onto her feet. Without a word, she went to Richard and the two held on to each other.

They made it.

They disembarked the ship and met with the York forces.

"Anne, you must go to safety," Richard said to her.

"No, I am not leaving you!"

"I will come back to you!" Richard said, cupping her face. "I will! You will go to your sister and be safe. Go! I will come back to you, I promise!"

Swallowing her tears, Anne let him go.

"Wait!" She called out, running to him and pressed that golden comb - the one she had given him after they were betrothed - into his palm. She gave him a kiss and watched him departed with the King's forces.

***

The war was over.

After the Lancastrians were defeated, Richard was called to the front again to fight the Scottish. Finally, he was able to return to London.

And to his beloved Anne.

However, he was told by George and Isabel that Anne had disappeared.

Hearing that, Richard searched all over London for her.

But Anne was nowhere to be seen.

Exhausted, Richard walked down the narrow street of London in defeat.

No, he will not give up.

Just then, he heard a young woman humming a tune.

It was that tune from the North.

The one he had played while watching Anne from afar in France.

He turned around and saw a young woman tending a flock of sheep.

"Wait!"

He grabbed her and recognized her instantly.

"Anne!"

She only looked back at him emptily.

"It's Richard! And I come back for you!" He said. Taking out that golden comb, he continued, "Remember, this is your gift for me! You gave this to me when you father had us betrothed. I secretly followed you to France and placed this by your side while you were in your prayer."

"And this tune...it's the one from the North, our home," she murmured. "I heard it once in France...it sounded so familiar..."

"And our ship, remember our ship, neither wars, nor exile, nor a storm on the sea can sink our ship...it's still sailing"

Finally, Anne knew it was really Richard before her eyes. "Richard...my husband..."

The two embraced.

They returned to the North together and settled in Middleham Castle.

Nine months later, they had a boy whom they named Edward.

**Author's Note:**

> You can read the original fairy tale here: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm181.html
> 
> I was stuck on how to write this fic until I saw that gif set. I was like...I got it!
> 
> Please leave comments! I hope you will like this fic :)


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